EP2822073A1 - Système de pile à combustible et procédé de commande pour système de pile à combustible - Google Patents

Système de pile à combustible et procédé de commande pour système de pile à combustible Download PDF

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Publication number
EP2822073A1
EP2822073A1 EP13755181.8A EP13755181A EP2822073A1 EP 2822073 A1 EP2822073 A1 EP 2822073A1 EP 13755181 A EP13755181 A EP 13755181A EP 2822073 A1 EP2822073 A1 EP 2822073A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
pressure
anode gas
anode
fuel cell
gas
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP13755181.8A
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German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP2822073A4 (fr
Inventor
Yasushi Ichikawa
Takahiro Fujii
Keigo Ikezoe
Atsushi Fukunaka
Tatsuro Ishikawa
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Nissan Motor Co Ltd
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Nissan Motor Co Ltd
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Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Nissan Motor Co Ltd filed Critical Nissan Motor Co Ltd
Publication of EP2822073A1 publication Critical patent/EP2822073A1/fr
Publication of EP2822073A4 publication Critical patent/EP2822073A4/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
    • H01M8/00—Fuel cells; Manufacture thereof
    • H01M8/04—Auxiliary arrangements, e.g. for control of pressure or for circulation of fluids
    • H01M8/04082—Arrangements for control of reactant parameters, e.g. pressure or concentration
    • H01M8/04089—Arrangements for control of reactant parameters, e.g. pressure or concentration of gaseous reactants
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
    • H01M8/00—Fuel cells; Manufacture thereof
    • H01M8/04—Auxiliary arrangements, e.g. for control of pressure or for circulation of fluids
    • H01M8/04298—Processes for controlling fuel cells or fuel cell systems
    • H01M8/04313—Processes for controlling fuel cells or fuel cell systems characterised by the detection or assessment of variables; characterised by the detection or assessment of failure or abnormal function
    • H01M8/04537—Electric variables
    • H01M8/04604—Power, energy, capacity or load
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
    • H01M8/00—Fuel cells; Manufacture thereof
    • H01M8/04—Auxiliary arrangements, e.g. for control of pressure or for circulation of fluids
    • H01M8/04298—Processes for controlling fuel cells or fuel cell systems
    • H01M8/04313—Processes for controlling fuel cells or fuel cell systems characterised by the detection or assessment of variables; characterised by the detection or assessment of failure or abnormal function
    • H01M8/04537—Electric variables
    • H01M8/04604—Power, energy, capacity or load
    • H01M8/04611—Power, energy, capacity or load of the individual fuel cell
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
    • H01M8/00—Fuel cells; Manufacture thereof
    • H01M8/04—Auxiliary arrangements, e.g. for control of pressure or for circulation of fluids
    • H01M8/04298—Processes for controlling fuel cells or fuel cell systems
    • H01M8/04694—Processes for controlling fuel cells or fuel cell systems characterised by variables to be controlled
    • H01M8/04746—Pressure; Flow
    • H01M8/04753—Pressure; Flow of fuel cell reactants
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
    • H01M8/00—Fuel cells; Manufacture thereof
    • H01M8/10—Fuel cells with solid electrolytes
    • H01M2008/1095—Fuel cells with polymeric electrolytes
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
    • H01M2250/00—Fuel cells for particular applications; Specific features of fuel cell system
    • H01M2250/20—Fuel cells in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
    • H01M8/00—Fuel cells; Manufacture thereof
    • H01M8/04—Auxiliary arrangements, e.g. for control of pressure or for circulation of fluids
    • H01M8/04082—Arrangements for control of reactant parameters, e.g. pressure or concentration
    • H01M8/04089—Arrangements for control of reactant parameters, e.g. pressure or concentration of gaseous reactants
    • H01M8/04119—Arrangements for control of reactant parameters, e.g. pressure or concentration of gaseous reactants with simultaneous supply or evacuation of electrolyte; Humidifying or dehumidifying
    • H01M8/04156—Arrangements for control of reactant parameters, e.g. pressure or concentration of gaseous reactants with simultaneous supply or evacuation of electrolyte; Humidifying or dehumidifying with product water removal
    • H01M8/04179—Arrangements for control of reactant parameters, e.g. pressure or concentration of gaseous reactants with simultaneous supply or evacuation of electrolyte; Humidifying or dehumidifying with product water removal by purging or increasing flow or pressure of reactants
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
    • H01M8/00—Fuel cells; Manufacture thereof
    • H01M8/04—Auxiliary arrangements, e.g. for control of pressure or for circulation of fluids
    • H01M8/04223—Auxiliary arrangements, e.g. for control of pressure or for circulation of fluids during start-up or shut-down; Depolarisation or activation, e.g. purging; Means for short-circuiting defective fuel cells
    • H01M8/04231—Purging of the reactants
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
    • H01M8/00—Fuel cells; Manufacture thereof
    • H01M8/10—Fuel cells with solid electrolytes
    • H01M8/1016—Fuel cells with solid electrolytes characterised by the electrolyte material
    • H01M8/1018—Polymeric electrolyte materials
    • H01M8/1039—Polymeric electrolyte materials halogenated, e.g. sulfonated polyvinylidene fluorides
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
    • Y02E60/00—Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
    • Y02E60/30—Hydrogen technology
    • Y02E60/50—Fuel cells
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02T—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION
    • Y02T90/00—Enabling technologies or technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
    • Y02T90/40—Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a fuel cell system and a control method of a fuel cell system.
  • a fuel cell system in which a normally-closed solenoid valve is provided in an anode gas supply passage and a normally-open solenoid valve and a recycle tank (buffer tank) are provided in order from an upstream in an anode-gas discharge passage has been known (see JP2007-517369A ).
  • This fuel cell system is an anode gas non-circulating type fuel cell system in which an unused anode gas discharged into the anode-gas discharge passage is not returned to the anode gas supply passage, and the normally-closed solenoid valve and the normally-open solenoid valve are periodically opened/closed.
  • impurities generated by a pulsation operation from a power generation region are pushed into the buffer tank, and hydrogen concentration of the power generation region is kept.
  • Such fuel cell systems are known that a pressure of the anode gas is increased in accordance with a required output and the like in general.
  • a system with weak fluidity in a stack such as a non-circulating type fuel cell system
  • a system in which the impurities in the stack are pushed into an off-gas side by performing pulsation is known.
  • performing pulsation from a state in which the required output is high and pulsation is performed while a base pressure of anode is high, if the required output becomes lower and the required anode pressure becomes smaller with that, the following nonconformity occurs.
  • a pressure regulating valve is controlled so that the anode gas pressure becomes the required value. More specifically, the pressure regulating valve is closed by feedback control of the pressure, and hydrogen is consumed in accordance with the output at that time.
  • the pressure in the power generation region lowers more than the pressure on the off-gas side of the fuel cell system, it was found that, since the gas containing the impurities on the off-gas side flows backward, a point where the anode gas concentration is locally low is generated in an anode-gas channel in the fuel cell. If power generation is continued in this state, the anode gas required for a reaction runs short, and it was found that power generation efficiency deteriorates.
  • the present invention has an object to provide a technology for suppressing the lowering of anode gas concentration inside the fuel cell when the pressure of the anode gas is to be lowered.
  • a fuel cell system in an embodiment includes a pressure regulating valve configured to control a pressure of an anode gas to be supplied to a fuel cell, a pulsation operation control means configured to control such that the anode gas pressure becomes higher as a load becomes larger, and the anode gas pressure is pulsated at the same load, and an anode gas pressure limiting means configured to limit the anode gas pressure by a pressure higher than the anode gas pressure according to the load when the load lowers.
  • a fuel cell generates power by sandwiching an electrolytic membrane by an anode electrode (fuel electrode) and a cathode electrode (oxidizer electrode) and by supplying an anode gas (fuel gas) containing hydrogen to the anode electrode and a cathode gas (oxidizer gas) containing oxygen to the cathode electrode.
  • Electrode reactions progressing at both electrodes of the anode electrode and the cathode electrode are as follows: Anode electrode: 2H 2 -> 4H + + 4e- (1)
  • the fuel cell By means of the electrode reactions in the formula (1) and the formula (2), the fuel cell generates an electromotive force at approximately 1 volt.
  • Figs. 1A and 1B are diagrams for explaining a configuration of a fuel cell system in a first embodiment.
  • Fig. 1A is a perspective view of the fuel cell 10.
  • Fig. 1B is a 1B-1B sectional view of the fuel cell in Fig. 1A .
  • the fuel cell 10 is composed by arranging an anode separator 12 and a cathode separator 13 on both front and back surfaces of a membrane electrode assembly (hereinafter referred to as an "MEA") 11.
  • MEA membrane electrode assembly
  • the MEA 11 is provided with an electrolyte membrane 111, an anode electrode 112, and a cathode electrode 113.
  • the MEA 11 has the anode electrode 112 on one of surfaces of the electrolyte membrane 111 and the cathode electrode 113 on the other surface.
  • the electrolyte membrane 111 is a proton conductive ion exchange membrane formed of a fluorine resin.
  • the electrolyte membrane 111 shows a favorable electric conductivity in a wet state.
  • the anode electrode 112 is provided with a catalyst layer 112a and a gas diffusion layer 112b.
  • the catalyst layer 112a is in contact with the electrolyte membrane 111.
  • the catalyst layer 112a is formed of platinum or a carbon black particle supporting platinum or the like.
  • the gas diffusion layer 112b is provided on an outer side (a side opposite to the electrolyte membrane 111) of the catalyst layer 112a and is in contact with the anode separator 12.
  • the gas diffusion layer 112b is formed of a member having a sufficient gas diffusion characteristic and electric conductivity and is formed of a carbon cloth formed by weaving fibers made of a carbon fiber, for example.
  • the cathode electrode 113 is also provided with a catalyst layer 113a and a gas diffusion layer 113b similarly to the anode electrode 112.
  • the anode separator 12 is in contact with the gas diffusion layer 112b.
  • the anode separator 12 has an anode gas channel 121 having a shape of a plurality of grooves for supplying the anode gas to the anode electrode 112 on a side in contact with the gas diffusion layer 112b.
  • the cathode separator 13 is in contact with the gas diffusion layer 113b.
  • the cathode separator 13 has a cathode gas channel 131 having a shape of a plurality of grooves for supplying the cathode gas to the cathode electrode 113 on a side in contact with the gas diffusion layer 113b.
  • the anode gas flowing through the anode gas channel 121 and the cathode gas flowing through the cathode gas channel 131 flow in parallel with each other in the same direction. It may be so configured that they flow in parallel with each other in directions opposite to each other.
  • the fuel cells 10 are used as a fuel cell stack in which several hundreds of the fuel cells 10 are laminated. Then, by constituting fuel cell system for supplying the anode gas and the cathode gas to the fuel cell stack, the power for driving a vehicle is taken out.
  • Fig. 2 is an outline configuration diagram of the anode gas non-circulating type fuel cell system in the first embodiment.
  • the fuel cell system 1 includes a fuel cell stack 2, an anode gas supply device 3, and a controller 4.
  • the fuel cell stack 2 is constructed by stacking a plurality of the fuel cells 10, and receives the supply of the anode gas and the cathode gas to generate the electric power required to drive the vehicle (for example, electric power required to drive a motor).
  • a cathode gas supply/discharge device for supplying/ discharging the cathode gas to the fuel cell stack 2 and a cooling device for cooling the fuel cell stack 2 since they are not major parts of the present invention, illustration is omitted for facilitation of understanding.
  • air is used as the cathode gas.
  • the anode gas supply device 3 is provided with a high pressure tank 31, an anode gas supply passage 32, a pressure regulating valve 33, a pressure sensor 34, an anode gas discharge passage 35, a buffer tank 36, a purge passage 37, and a purge valve 38.
  • the high pressure tank 31 stores the anode gas to be supplied to the fuel cell stack 2 while keeping it in a high pressure state.
  • the anode gas supply passage 32 is a passage for supplying the anode gas discharged from the high pressure tank 31 to the fuel cell stack 2, in which one end portion is connected to the high pressure tank 31 and the other end portion is connected to an anode gas inlet hole 21 of the fuel cell stack 2.
  • the pressure regulating valve 33 is provided in the anode gas supply passage 32.
  • the pressure regulating valve 33 regulates the anode gas discharged from the high pressure tank 31 to a desired pressure and supplies it to the fuel cell stack 2.
  • the pressure regulating valve 33 is an electromagnetic valve capable of adjusting an opening degree continuously or in steps, and the opening degree is controlled by the controller 4.
  • the controller 4 controls the opening degree of the pressure regulating valve 33 by controlling an amount of an electric current to be supplied to the pressure regulating valve 33.
  • the pressure sensor 34 is provided in the anode gas supply passage 32 on a downstream from the pressure regulating valve 33.
  • the pressure sensor 34 detects a pressure of the anode gas flowing through the anode gas supply passage 32 on the downstream from the pressure regulating valve 33.
  • the pressure of the anode gas detected by this pressure sensor 34 is used as a substitution for a pressure of an entire anode system including each of the anode gas channels 121 and the buffer tank 36 inside the fuel cell stack (hereinafter referred to as an "anode pressure").
  • the anode gas discharge passage 35 has one end portion connected to an anode gas outlet hole 22 of the fuel cell stack 2 and the other end portion connected to an upper part of the buffer tank 36.
  • a mixture gas of an excess anode gas not used for the electrode reaction and an impurity gas such as nitrogen, steam and the like cross-leaked from the cathode side to the anode gas channel 121 (hereinafter referred to as an "anode off-gas”) is discharged.
  • the buffer tank 36 temporarily stores the anode off-gas having flowed through the anode gas discharge passage 35. A part of the steam in the anode off-gas condenses in the buffer tank 36 and becomes liquid water and is separated from the anode off-gas.
  • the purge passage 37 has one end portion connected to a lower part of the buffer tank 36.
  • the other end portion of the purge passage 37 is an opening end.
  • the anode off-gas and the liquid water stored in the buffer tank 36 are discharged to the outside air from the opening end through the purge passage 37.
  • the purge valve 38 is provided in the purge passage 37.
  • the purge valve 38 is an electromagnetic valve capable of adjusting an opening degree continuously or in steps, and the opening degree is controlled by the controller 4.
  • an amount of the anode off-gas discharged from the buffer tank 36 to the outside air through the purge passage 37 is adjusted so that anode gas concentration in the buffer tank 36 becomes a certain level or less. That is because, if the anode gas concentration in the buffer tank 36 is too high, the anode gas amount discharged from the buffer tank 36 to the outside air through the purge passage 37 becomes too large, which is wasteful.
  • the controller 4 is constituted by a microcomputer provided with a central processing unit (CPU), a read-only memory (ROM), a random-access memory (RAM), and an input/output interface (I/O interface).
  • CPU central processing unit
  • ROM read-only memory
  • RAM random-access memory
  • I/O interface input/output interface
  • signals for detecting an operation state of the fuel cell system 1 such as a current sensor 41 for detecting an output current of the fuel cell stack 2, a temperature sensor 42 for detecting a temperature of cooling water for cooling the fuel cell stack 2 (hereinafter referred to as a "cooling water temperature”), an accelerator stroke sensor 43 for detecting a stepped-on amount of an accelerator pedal (hereinafter referred to as an “accelerator operation amount”) and the like are inputted.
  • the controller 4 periodically opens/closes the pressure regulating valve 33 on the basis of these input signals and performs a pulsation operation for periodically increasing/decreasing the anode pressure and moreover, adjusts a flow rate of the anode off-gas discharged from the buffer tank 36 by adjusting the opening degree of the purge valve 38 so that the anode gas concentration in the buffer tank 36 is kept at a certain level or less.
  • the anode-gas non-circulating fuel cell system if the anode gas is continuously supplied from the high pressure tank 31 to the fuel cell stack 2 with the pressure regulating valve 33 left open, the anode off-gas containing unused anode gas discharged from the fuel cell stack 2 is continuously discharged from the buffer tank 36 to the outside air through the purge passage 37, which is wasteful.
  • the pressure regulating valve 33 is periodically opened/closed, and a pulsation operation for periodically increasing/decreasing the anode pressure is performed.
  • the anode off-gas stored in the buffer tank 36 can be made to flow backward to the fuel cell stack 2 during pressure reduction of the anode pressure.
  • the anode gas in the anode off-gas can be reused, the anode gas amount discharged to the outside air can be reduced, and a waste can be eliminated.
  • Fig. 3 is a diagram for explaining the pulsation operation in a steady operation in which the operation state of the fuel cell system 1 is constant.
  • the controller 4 calculates a target output of the fuel cell stack 2 on the basis of the operation state (a load of the fuel cell stack) of the fuel cell system 1 and sets an upper limit value and a lower limit value of the anode pressure according to the target output. Then, the anode pressure is periodically increased/decreased between the set upper limit value and lower limit value of the anode pressure.
  • the pressure regulating valve 33 is opened to an opening degree at which at least the anode pressure can be increased to the upper limit value. In this state, the anode gas is supplied from the high pressure tank 31 to the fuel cell stack 2 and is discharged to the buffer tank 36.
  • the pressure regulating valve 33 is fully closed, and supply of the anode gas from the high pressure tank 31 to the fuel cell stack 2 is stopped. Then, by means of the above described electrode reaction in (1), the anode gas remaining in the anode gas channel 121 in the fuel cell stack is consumed with elapse of time, the anode pressure lowers by a consumed portion of the anode gas.
  • the anode gas remaining in the anode gas channel 121 is consumed, since the pressure of the buffer tank 36 becomes higher than the pressure of the anode gas channel 121 temporarily, the anode off-gas flows backward from the buffer tank 36 to the anode gas channel 121. As a result, the anode gas remaining in the anode gas channel 121 and the anode gas in the anode off-gas having flowed backward to the anode gas channel 121 are consumed with elapse of time, and the anode pressure is further lowered.
  • the pressure regulating valve 33 is opened similarly to the time t1. Then, if the anode pressure reaches the upper limit value again at time t4, the pressure regulating valve 33 is fully closed.
  • Fig. 4 is a flowchart of the pulsation operation control. Processing starting at Step S10 is executed by the controller 4.
  • Step S10 on the basis of the operation state of the fuel cell system 1, the target output of the fuel cell stack 2 is calculated.
  • the upper limit value and the lower limit value of the anode pressure during the pulsation operation are set, and on the basis of the set upper limit value and lower limit value, the anode pressure target value is determined.
  • the upper limit value is the anode pressure target value
  • the lower limit value is the anode pressure target value.
  • the anode pressure is detected by the pressure sensor 34.
  • Step S40 on the basis of a difference between the anode pressure target value determined at Step S20 and the anode pressure detected at Step S30, feedback control for controlling opening/closing of the pressure regulating valve 33 is performed so that the anode pressure gets closer to the anode pressure target value.
  • Fig. 5 is a time chart illustrating a change of the anode pressure when the pressure regulating valve 33 is fully closed, and the anode pressure is lowered to the lower limit pressure during the descending transition operation.
  • the accelerator operation amount decreases, and the target output of the fuel cell stack 2 lowers, for example, at time t11, as illustrated in Fig. 5(A) , the upper limit value of the anode pressure and the lower limit pressure according to the lowered target output are set.
  • Fig. 6 is a diagram for explaining the reason why the portion in which the anode gas concentration is locally lower than the other portions is generated in the anode gas channel 121.
  • Fig. 6(A) is a diagram illustrating flows of the anode gas and the anode off-gas in the anode gas channel 121 when the pressure regulating valve 33 is fully closed during the descending transition operation.
  • Fig. 6(B) is a diagram illustrating concentration distribution of the anode gas in the anode gas channel 121 in accordance with elapse of time when the pressure regulating valve 33 is fully closed during the descending transition operation.
  • nitrogen in the anode off-gas not used for the electrode reaction described in the formula (1) collects in the vicinity of the stagnant point as time elapses.
  • nitrogen concentration in the vicinity of the stagnant point becomes higher than the others as time elapses, and as illustrated in Fig. 6(B) , the anode gas concentration in the vicinity of the stagnant point becomes lower than the others as time elapses.
  • the target anode pressure when the target anode pressure is lowered to the target final lower limit pressure (first target anode pressure) in accordance with lowering of the target output of the fuel cell stack 2, the target anode pressure is kept at a target intermediate lower limit pressure (second target anode pressure) higher than the target final lower limit pressure for a predetermined period of time and then, it is lowered to the first target anode pressure.
  • Fig. 7 is a flowchart of purge control executed by the controller 4.
  • Step S110 a permeation amount of nitrogen permeated from the cathode side to the anode side through the electrolyte membrane is calculated.
  • Fig. 8 is a diagram illustrating a relationship between a temperature and humidity of the fuel cell stack 2 and the permeation amount of nitrogen.
  • a temperature detected by the temperature sensor 42 is used, and humidity is acquired on the basis of high frequency resistance (HFR).
  • HFR high frequency resistance
  • Step S120 a load connected to the fuel cell stack 2 (a target output of the fuel cell stack 2) is detected.
  • Step S130 the anode pressure is detected by the pressure sensor 34.
  • Step S140 on the basis of the nitrogen permeation amount calculated at Step S110, the load detected at Step S120, and the anode pressure detected at Step S130, an opening degree of the purge valve 38 required to purge nitrogen is calculated. That is, the larger the nitrogen permeation amount is, the larger the load is, and the higher the anode pressure is, the larger the opening degree of the purge valve 38 is set.
  • Fig. 9 is a flowchart of anode pressure control executed by the fuel cell system in the first embodiment.
  • the controller 4 starts processing at Step S210 when the target anode pressure lowers as in the descending transition operation and the like.
  • the target final lower limit pressure is determined in accordance with the target output of the fuel cell stack 2, and the target intermediate lower limit pressure higher than the target final lower limit pressure is also determined.
  • the target intermediate lower limit pressure is determined on the basis of the anode gas concentration in the buffer tank 36. That is, the higher the anode gas concentration in the buffer tank 36 is, the lower the target intermediate lower limit pressure is set.
  • the anode gas concentration in the buffer tank 36 may be measured by providing a sensor or may be estimated on the basis of the anode pressure and the like.
  • Step S220 the pressure regulating valve 33 is fully closed. Since the pressure regulating valve 33 is fully closed, the anode gas remaining in the anode gas channel 121 flows to the buffer tank 36 side by inertia and consumed. As a result, the anode pressure lowers.
  • Step S230 it is determined whether or not the anode pressure detected by the pressure sensor 34 is lower than the target intermediate lower limit pressure. If it is determined that the anode pressure is equal to or higher than the target intermediate lower limit pressure, the routine returns to Step S220, while if it is determined that the anode pressure is lower than the target intermediate lower limit pressure, the routine proceeds to Step S240.
  • Step S240 by using the target intermediate lower limit pressure as the lower limit pressure, the pulsation control for periodically increasing/decreasing the anode pressure is executed. As a result, supply of the anode gas is resumed.
  • Step S250 it is determined whether or not a predetermined target time has elapsed since the pulsation control for periodically increasing/decreasing the anode pressure was started using the target intermediate lower limit pressure as the lower limit pressure.
  • purge for discharging the anode off-gas containing nitrogen from the buffer tank 36 through the purge passage 37 is performed by adjusting the opening degree of the purge valve 38. By performing purge, the above described region in which the anode gas concentration is locally low is pushed out to the outside of the power generation region of the fuel cell stack 2.
  • the predetermined target time is assumed to be time until the region in which the anode gas concentration is locally low is pushed out to the outside of the power generation region of the fuel cell stack 2 by performing purge. More preferably, the predetermined target time is assumed to be time until the region in which the anode gas concentration is locally low is pushed out to the buffer tank 36 by performing purge.
  • the predetermined target time is determined on the basis of the anode gas concentration in the buffer tank 36. That is, the higher the anode gas concentration in the buffer tank 36 is, the longer the target time is set.
  • Step S260 the pressure regulating valve 33 is fully closed. As a result, the anode pressure begins to lower again.
  • Step S270 it is determined whether or not the anode pressure detected by the pressure sensor 34 is lower than the target final lower limit pressure. If it is determined that the anode pressure is equal to or higher than the target final lower limit pressure, the routine returns to Step S260, while if it is determined that the anode pressure is lower than the target final lower limit pressure, the routine proceeds to Step S280.
  • step S280 the pulsation control for periodically increasing/decreasing the anode pressure using the target final lower limit pressure as the lower limit pressure is executed.
  • Fig. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a temporal change of the anode pressure and the cathode pressure when the anode pressure control is executed by the fuel cell system in the first embodiment.
  • the pulsation operation for periodically increasing/decreasing the anode pressure is started. Then, at time t23 when the predetermined target time has elapsed since the pulsation operation was started at the time t22, the pressure regulating valve 33 is fully closed again. As a result, the anode pressure begins to lower again.
  • the anode pressure when the anode pressure is to be lowered to the target final lower limit pressure, the anode pressure is not lowered to the target final lower limit pressure without stopping but kept at the target intermediate lower limit pressure higher than the target final lower limit pressure for a predetermined period of time and then, lowered to the target final lower limit pressure.
  • deterioration of the power generation efficiency caused by local lowering of the anode gas concentration in the anode gas channel can be suppressed.
  • the anode gas pressure is limited by a pressure higher than the anode gas pressure according to the load.
  • the region in which the anode gas concentration is locally low is pushed out to the outside of the power generation region of the fuel cell stack 2, and thus, lowering of the anode gas concentration in the power generation region of the fuel cell stack 2 can be suppressed. As a result, deterioration of power generation efficiency of the fuel cell stack 2 can be suppressed.
  • the pressure when the anode gas pressure is limited is set on the basis of the anode gas concentration in the buffer tank 36, lowering of the anode gas concentration in the power generation region of the fuel cell stack 2 can be suppressed more appropriately.
  • the pulsation operation for periodically increasing/decreasing the pressure of the anode gas is performed for a predetermined period of time and thus, lowering of the anode gas concentration can be effectively suppressed by resuming supply of the anode gas and performing stable power generation.
  • the predetermined time is determined on the basis of the anode gas concentration in the buffer tank 36, lowering of the anode gas concentration in the power generation region of the fuel cell stack 2 can be suppressed more appropriately.
  • a pulsation width of the anode pressure when the pulsation operation is performed after lowering the anode pressure to the target intermediate lower limit pressure higher than the target final lower limit pressure is set constant.
  • control is made such that the pulsation width of the anode pressure when the pulsation operation is performed after lowering the anode pressure to the target intermediate lower limit pressure is made small at first and then, gradually becomes larger with elapse of time.
  • Fig. 11 is a diagram illustrating an example of a temporal change of the anode pressure when the anode pressure control is executed by the fuel cell system in the second embodiment. However, Fig. 11 illustrates that before the anode pressure is lowered to the target final lower limit pressure, the anode pressure is lowered to the target intermediate lower limit pressure, and the pulsation operation is performed, and a portion in which the anode pressure is lowered to the target final lower limit pressure is omitted.
  • the anode pressure is lowered to the target intermediate lower limit pressure.
  • the pulsation operation for periodically increasing/decreasing the anode pressure is started, but as illustrated in Fig. 11 , the pulsation width is made small at first, and then, the pulsation width is gradually made larger.
  • the temporal change of the anode pressure in the second embodiment is indicated by a solid line
  • the temporal change of the anode pressure in the first embodiment is indicated by a dotted line.
  • the anode off-gas flows backward from the buffer tank 36 side to the anode gas channel 121, and a spot where the anode gas concentration is locally low is generated.
  • an increased/decreased pressure width of the anode gas at the start of the pulsation operation is made smaller than the increased/decreased pressure width of the anode gas at the end of the pulsation operation.
  • the backflow amount of the anode off-gas from the buffer tank 36 side to the anode gas channel 121 can be reduced during the pulsation operation, lowering of the anode gas concentration can be further suppressed.
  • the present invention is not limited to each of the above described embodiments.
  • the example in which the fuel cell system is mounted on a vehicle was described, but the present invention can be applied also to various systems other than the vehicle.
  • the present invention is explained using the non-circulating type fuel cell system provided with the buffer tank as an example, but the present invention can be similarly applied even to a circulating-type fuel cell system as long as the pulsation control is executed, and the anode pressure is set to a low pressure at a low load and to a high pressure at a high load.
  • the anode pressure is limited to the pressure higher than the pressure set in accordance with the load.

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  • Sustainable Energy (AREA)
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  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • Electrochemistry (AREA)
  • General Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Fuel Cell (AREA)
EP13755181.8A 2012-02-29 2013-02-28 Système de pile à combustible et procédé de commande pour système de pile à combustible Withdrawn EP2822073A4 (fr)

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JP2012043879 2012-02-29
PCT/JP2013/055348 WO2013129553A1 (fr) 2012-02-29 2013-02-28 Système de pile à combustible et procédé de commande pour système de pile à combustible

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JP (1) JP5804181B2 (fr)
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WO (1) WO2013129553A1 (fr)

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GB2518680A (en) * 2013-09-30 2015-04-01 Intelligent Energy Ltd Water removal in a fuel cell
JP7223282B2 (ja) 2019-12-25 2023-02-16 トヨタ自動車株式会社 燃料電池システム
IT202000005917A1 (it) 2020-03-19 2021-09-19 Metatron S P A Sistema di cella a combustibile e regolatore elettronico di pressione di combustibile per tale sistema
CN112366336B (zh) * 2020-10-14 2021-11-23 广东国鸿氢能科技有限公司 一种用于质子交换膜燃料电池的吹扫方法及系统
JP7435496B2 (ja) 2021-02-03 2024-02-21 トヨタ自動車株式会社 燃料電池システム
CN116031446B (zh) * 2022-12-30 2024-01-26 上海氢晨新能源科技有限公司 氢燃料电池的动态负载控制方法、装置及设备

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JP4214761B2 (ja) * 2002-01-31 2009-01-28 株式会社デンソー 燃料電池システム
DE10347793A1 (de) * 2003-10-14 2005-05-19 Robert Bosch Gmbh Brennstoffzellenanlage sowie Verfahren zum Betreiben der Brennstoffzellenanlage
US20050142400A1 (en) 2003-12-31 2005-06-30 Nuvera Fuel Cells Safe purging of water from fuel cell stacks
JP4984435B2 (ja) * 2005-05-26 2012-07-25 トヨタ自動車株式会社 燃料電池システムおよび制御方法
JP5092257B2 (ja) * 2006-03-17 2012-12-05 日産自動車株式会社 燃料電池システム
US8092943B2 (en) * 2006-04-19 2012-01-10 Daimler Ag Fuel cell system with improved fuel recirculation
JP2008097966A (ja) * 2006-10-11 2008-04-24 Toyota Motor Corp 燃料電池システム、および、その制御方法
RU2472256C1 (ru) * 2008-11-21 2013-01-10 Ниссан Мотор Ко., Лтд. Система топливного элемента и способ ее контроля
EP2800184A4 (fr) * 2011-12-28 2015-03-18 Nissan Motor Système de pile à combustible

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CN104160539A (zh) 2014-11-19
US20150037700A1 (en) 2015-02-05
JP5804181B2 (ja) 2015-11-04
CA2865881A1 (fr) 2013-09-06
WO2013129553A1 (fr) 2013-09-06
EP2822073A4 (fr) 2015-03-11

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